The Flames have been off for awhile and in that vacuum has settled trade rumors about Rene Bourque, Kyle Turris due to growing sense of frustration and discontentment with the roster as it stands. While it's still very early and the Flames are likely a better team than they've shown so far, the fans patience is beginning to wear thin. Calgary has been long on expenses and promises the last few years, but rather short on results. As evidenced by Sutter's firing and the partial reboot this summer, the emotional capital built up by the first few heady seasons of Darryl's reign is all but spent in this market.

As such, the ability for King et al. to leverage the the fading stars who were once the backbone of the team is eroding significantly with each lackluster performance. The Flames technically have another 75 games left to try to make the post-season, but the management may be working under a much tighter deadline should things continue to go south. The sooner the skaters can turn it around and make the suit's off-season promises look less like bluster and more like prescience, the better for the men behind the bench and in the front office.

After three games of their season high six game home stand, the Calgary Flames have had very average results. They sit 1-1-1 on the trip after opening with a comeback win over the Edmonton Oilers last Tuesday night. Now, looking to snap a two game losing skid, the Flames welcome the Northwest Division leading Colorado Avalanche to the Saddledome for their first meeting of the season, looking to get this home stretch back on a positive track (8 pm, Sportsnet Flames and Sportsnet 960).

When Jay Feaster was named the permanent GM in June, I set up a number of "tests" in my mind heading into the off-season. One of them was Anton Babchuk and whether the club's new decision maker would be seduced by a nice stats line that was heavily dependent on favorable circumstances. Pat, Bob and myself all tried to explain from various angles why re-signing the big guy probably wasn't a sensible move this summer.

No one likes to see their team or its GM pull the trigger on a move that is out of desperation or panic. Moves are supposed to be made to better the team and strengthen it when it's ready to take that next step... Or they are made with an effort to realize that they are moving in the wrong direction and they need a significant move to change the course of a sinking ship. Which category do the Flames belong in right now?